


I'm here and your heart it still mine, right?

by BandagedRabbit



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Leo trying to get his castle back and his knights too, M/M, Some scars of the past that didn't heal, soft angst, soft humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2018-12-30 02:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12098472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BandagedRabbit/pseuds/BandagedRabbit
Summary: No one was to blame for his misfortune, no one more but him, the only one who refused to see behind the most obvious intentions.But some people deserve a second chance, everything isn't so bad if you still want to try.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I'm Izumi, this my first work on this fandom, I spent like hundred nights working on this and ranking in hellstars but here I am.
> 
> I'm not an English native, like everyone I need beta readers and someone who tells me this okay, bcs my grammar sucks sometimes, I'll edit the errors later, I hope they aren't so bad m(＿＿)m.
> 
> This work is already ended but not translated so I'm trying to have luck and getting motivated about this ( the translation) so if you share this you will make a bean happy and motivated.
> 
> Also, I'm not good writing angst if you ask me, this is kinda an experiment, so please enjoy!
> 
> (And If you wanna scream to me about Izuleo or throw me tomatoes to make a salad: @x__HumptyDumpty that's my twitter)
> 
> [Minor errors corrected by translator @PatitasdeGato, thank you for your hard work ;; 01/10/2017]

The king was running. He was running to escape from who knows what, but his primary instinct was shouting at him with complete and utter desperation to escape from the screams of those who clamoured to the winners and jeered to the losers - as it always has been, as it always was.

Dethroned kings were usually executed in the public square, because their crown had one meaning: the power of the ones who rule over all, and he had lost it. We all knew that old and dominant lions were killed by younger males to show who was in charge now - he could not ensure that it was going to be different at this time. He felt that, after being defeated, he could expect nothing more but to be crucified for his failures. So he ran away.

Copper strands of hair fluttered in the cold night; his agitated breathing did nothing but grow in speed and reduce the spaces between each inspiration, leaving him almost without air. His heart was aching, his tears were burning his cheeks, his throat felt like it was being ripped from inside… He was not a king anymore - he was more of a bunch of panic, nerves, frustration and horror.

His feelings, which were clearly crushing his heart, were the clear and undeniable cause of his pain.

Or maybe it was because of their faces…

No, that was not the reason, but…

Seeing how his knight, Izumi, did not know what to do on the stage and how he was overwhelmed thanks to a trap made Leo felt the most frustrated king in the world. That trap was a dirty game – a dirty game of a man who he saw attack in front of their own eyes. And he could not do a single thing about it. How could he look upon the face of his most loyal knight after that? He couldn’t stand the idea of being in the same stage with them when he was the one who sabotaged his own battle without really noticing it.

Knights weren’t the same as how he dreamed they would be at the very beginning - their reputation was ruined by so many battles, they were hated by the losers, and they were feared by their fame of murdering anyone who dared to get on their way. Even if they still were in charge of getting rid of the rotten apples that damaged the prestige and the name of the academy, it can’t be assured that they still carried the justice flag on their hands. However, this was what he chose in order to fulfil the desire of that special person who he cared so much for, and for whom he would travel all the way to hell just to make him happy.

Remembering his parents were on vacations, Leo entered his house. He didn’t dare to look for Ruka with his gaze - on the inside, he was hoping that she wasn’t in home to see his brother, her hero, in that pathetic state. This wasn’t the example that he intended to show her all those years, it wasn’t what he wanted to make her believe: to see him as invincible, without any hint of imperfection; to see him as a brave king… A brave king who was now the joke in the mouth of everyone.

The cold water made his suit stick to his back; he took off his shirt by shreds and did the same   with the rest of his uniform without bothering to unbuttoning it. He didn't want to wear the clothes that he no longer deserved, he didn't want to remember those looks of disbelief in his friends, he didn’t want to listen to anything… He didn’t even want to see anything, so he closed his eyes and left himself succumb to the mercy of the water to see if this could erase his mistake. He had been such an idiot that it was unbearable to forgive himself. Leo e was not able to curse his destiny, he wasn’t able to spit to his past, and he didn’t have the right to crush the one who had hurt him under his foot.

No one was to blame for his misfortune but him, the only one who refused to see behind the most obvious intentions.

 

-

 

He spent a couple of months in which he locked himself at home, basically, inside his room: he didn’t come out, he barely talked to anyone, and the only time he opened the door was to eat some of the meals that his sister left next to his room. Although he still bathed, his hair was pretty tangled to comb it; he wasn’t in the mood for these small tasks. Leo had lost all of his strength, and his isolation was almost total.

Leo hadn’t been inspired since what happened that day. He should have expected this to happen, right? Deprived of who he used to call his muse in the past, it was almost impossible that something good would come out from his compositions; most of them were now charged with shades of melancholy and an agonizing tone. The only idea of interpreting them someday hurt him, and it showed how much he was broken on the inside.

_'Nobody said that being a genius would make you strong, Tsukinaga'._

He knew it. Far from what he wanted to show in the outside or what he wanted to pretend, Leo was just a child.

Receiving the constant visits from Sena and dealing with the stress of the damn emperor trying to enter his house made his anxiety grew to the point that he couldn't sleep… Returning to the academy? After all the harm that he had caused? What the hell made the world believe that he would love to go back to a place where he had only been stabbed with daggers of betrayal? If he looked at his past, all what he was able to see were bloody holes in his skin and pus filling them, infecting his body until the point that he didn't know if he could resist.

His eyes were closed when he thought about it, and his mouth became almost dried.

That was the moment when his parents knocked his door. They wanted to talk with him, but he was locked inside the room. 

 **— Let me alone! —** Leo shouted from the floor. He wasn’t proud of his current state, and the possibility of his father beating him for worrying them with his 'nonsense' terrified him.

Even if his parents bought a complete manual of how he functioned, they wouldn’t understand his mind nor his feelings. Besides that, it wasn’t like Leo knew more of what was happening to him than them. Perhaps he could pretend that nothing bad was happening and put a wall between the world and him, one bigger than the Chinese wall.

 

-

 

May 1st.

He managed to dress with his uniform, but 5 minutes after looking at himself in the mirror, he took it off.

May 9th.

He went down the stairs wearing his uniform to have breakfast, but he ended having an argument with his father. After that, he returned to his room, refusing to ever go outside again.

June 15th.

Izumi went to visit him; he told him to eat and Leo did it. He only noticed there how much suffering he had been causing to his sister, and a never-ending feeling of guilt and regret fell over him.

June 22th.

When he was away from home, he had a breakdown.

He didn’t hear whatever his father was shouting at him, nor he did notice how his feet took him to the academy fronts – everything was like an unconscious memory. When he noticed how the students were starting to gather around him, Leo started to run again, this time, to the subway. Being there, he paid a full trip ticket. He didn't care where he was going; he just wanted to be as far away as possible from everyone and everything.

When Leo realized what he was doing, her chest felt oppressed. The feeling of being alone was frightening - not being wanted, not being missed, not being needed by someone, disappoint everyone… Each one of those things seemed a type of to-do list to become someone miserable and that was exactly how he felt.

 **—I should disappear now and stop causing so many problems to everyone—** he muttered as he sat in the sand, facing the sea as if he was searching for an answer. However, nothing came into his mind; only tears were flowing in his face and the constant feeling like if he was going to burst.

Why didn’t the aliens come for him? It was a fact that they could use his own body better than him.

When he felt that his life was falling into a hole of despair, a certain person appeared in his path as if he was an angel… A real angel and not the one who Leo thought that he saw in Eichi.

 

-

 

 **—Mama, where are we? —** Leo asked the same as when they were in Egypt. The only difference this time was the very cold weather and the snow that was burning his face.

**—I don't know, but isn't it beautiful?**

Indeed, it was. He hadn’t felt such joy in a very long time nor has he been in a place as peaceful as silent, to the point that he could imagine that they were the only two humans in the world. It was as if they were in some kind of apocalyptic movie and they were the survivors of an alien invasion.

Leo breathed gently; he felt like his lungs were being filled with the cold and clean air. A feeling of calm conquered his body and a kind of catharsis took over his mind, leaving all the stress outside and calling his inspiration back.

Just when he was looking into the iced sea, he saw part of the memories that he had kept in the bottom of his heart on the reflection: the smile of Ruka, the peaceful atmosphere of the school campus, the warmth of Sena’s body every time he relied on him to write…

Suddenly, he felt his face wet  – it was something warm that later became very cold.

**—Ah, Leo-san, did you get a bit of snow in your face…?—**

**— I want to go back.**

**— …Eh?**

**—I want to go home, I want to leave, I want to see my Knights, I want to see Ruka-tan, and I want to see Sena… Mama, I miss them! I miss everyone so much —** He shook the brown-haired with a lot of strength, desperate because he wanted to be understood.

Madara smiled. At least the trip paid off.

 

_End of the prologue._


	2. Guilty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not good with summaries but Izumi is still troubled about what he feels about the comeback of Leo.

 

 

 

 

**—** **I'd kill everyone in this room for a bottle of water.**

 

**—** **Ara~ but we just practised for an hour, don't be so dramatic Izumi-chan.**

 

 **—** **Sena-senpai is right, Ritsu-senpai looks more lethargic than usual...** **—** the black haired one was barely moving, resting comfortably nearby them. No one said anything about that, though, because the hot weather put him in a bad mood. The evening was passing slowly and Sena was running out of patience thanks to a certain someone who was late for practice, until he appeared.

 

 **—** **Uchuu! ~** **☆** **everyone looks so cheerful today!** **—** A particular laugh was heard at the door; he had a popsicle in one of his hands the other gripping some papers **—** **guess what!? We landed an event! I was in an important meeting, with important leaders and less important people too, but this event is going to be really important! Wahahaha! ~** **☆**

 

Izumi frowned, how was he able to talk so composed with the damn heat melting his brain, he wondered. Nah, that wasn't even the worst. The worst was that he looked so annoyingly calm even after showing up late, without any strip of guilt on his face.

 

It wasn't like he wasn't happy about his return, in fact, he really appreciated it, but without considering the pros and cons about this situation, he guessed he was angry; Well, not angry per say, that wasn't the word which suited him better. He was 'hurt'. He clearly remembered that day like no other; the rain falling down when he had left the stage.

Leo hadn't been anywhere, and like a ghost he just disappeared all of a sudden . He seek him desperately until Arashi told him that his parents were looking for him to go home, so he left the academy without a reply. What in the world had happened? 

The feeling of ache in his chest was so strong that he couldn't remember feeling anything quite like that before...

Thereafter he discovered that Leo wasn't attending his classes anymore, he wasn't leaving his home, he didn't want to eat...what was he supposed to do in that situation, when the person who was his object of admiration for such a long time had just fell into a pit of despair without any clue as to why, whatsoever?

He wanted to be strong, he wanted to help him, to be his shield, his sword, to protect his pure smile as if was the flag of his kingdom, but he wasn't strong. He was just a child, not being able to drink alcohol or doing anything by himself. His strength to face scenarios and people had been cultivated by his own work in photo sessions and the ballet, but that was nothing compared the real issues: gossip, lies and tricks. They were self-proclaimed Knights and nothing more than that, maybe they weren't able to endure those kind of problems until they were adults, growing up, maturing and being able to fend for themselves, but that trap was meticulous, slow and furtively, like a coward would do.

 

Izumi felt guilty for a long time until now, feeling like he had abandoned Leo, letting him get stabbed in the stage where he had laughed so many times in the past.

Inversely, he felt really upset and resented Leo for running away, as if they had been some kind of toy to play with and then throw away when they got bored of it.

Well, whatever he had done, it remained in the past.                       

 **—** **What happened, Ousama? I expect this to be worthy, considering you're getting roasted like a chicken at the oven, waiting for your stupid ass to come at four o'clock and you're late by two hours** **—** he wanted to slap his face with all those useless papers he had **—** **and as if it wasn't enough, you had time to go and buy a popsicle** **—** he pointed with his hand, the candy still there, but Leo just split it in two parts, sharing one with his grumpy teammate **—** **I'm not sure that I want to put unnecessary sugar in my system...** **—** Izumi said, rejecting his offering.

 

Leo sighed and pouting like a kid he put his own share of the popsicle into his mouth because it had already started to melt; Izumi thought that he had given up but in a second he found the ginger pressing the popsicle into his mouth; he almost choked.

 

 **—** **Oi, oi~ there's kids in here, you both should do that in private** — Arashi suggested with a smug expression.                       

 

**—** **Like I was saying, it's going to be a great event! Even the aliens will come to see us! Wahahaha! ~** **☆**

**—** **And what's the thematic for this event, leader?**

**—** **We're going to do a dorama for the school festival! We** **’** **ll work with Switch, some people from Fine and UNDEAD; it's going to be fun!**

**—** **Marvellous! ~ It looks like a perfect chance to show a different face of Knights.**

**—** **yeah, that's it...But...**

**—** **But?**

**—** **They asked me to get two of us to crossdress... And I agreed, obviously... I counted Naru for the work and** **…** **like you're young and cute... so I was thinking about....uh...**

**—** **I'll have to decline that offer, thanks.**

**—** **Eh?**

**—** **I'm not going to participate if I need to dress as a woman** **—** Tsukasa replied in a sour mood.

**—** **But! Suoooooooooooh! You already have the role and crossdressing is easy... a lot of Idols do it at least once! Anyways you will look great, the drama club is going to help out with the outfits and Naru can do your make up...**

**—** **What role are you going to perform?**

**—** **The servant of the princess.**

**—** **Let's exchange roles and everyone's happy that way.**

**—** **Exchange... Wait, WHAT?**

Nothing prepared him for that moment, where his plan was crushed thanks to everyone who voted against him at the last moment. Who would perform the role of princess?

 

In the end, the final decision was three against one, because Ritsu didn't actually vote. He had decided to keep his mouth shut and away, just so he could rest some more.

 

 **—** **My own Knights betrayed me! How could you?! Traitors!** — Leo sat at the floor with a depressing aura surrounding him, but it didn't last long because he looked at them feeling hyped in no time— **Maybe this an opportunity to interpret the role as the princess with the seriousness she deserves... also I need to write the background music, so it's okay...** **—** then he leaned next to Tsukasa, looking at him— **You'll have to be the best servant that my eyes have ever laid upon or I swear I'll make you crossplay for a whole month. You'll be handing out fliers for the Drama club; that's going to be your only requisite, because as an Idol, you'll need to take jobs that maybe you'll dislike sometimes.**

Tsukasa nodded, he was satisfied with the change of plans and everything had started to look perfect.

 

-

 

The first day of practice for the show, everyone was busy fixing minor details about the clothing they were supposed to wear, fitting the outfits to their bodies, practicing for the performance and memorizing some scripts that they had to say, but just one of them was having trouble with that and that was Leo.

**—** **Slowly, you need to make your pace something delicate... like a duck stepping into the water!** **—** Wataru sounded like he was really pissed off, but for what he heard in the past, the president of the drama club was very strict with those who had talent.

 

— **I'm not a bird to do that!** — It was the fourth hit on his head with the script and the silver haired knew that it wouldn't be the last one. Leo wasn't able to keep quiet for too long, even if it was convenient for him; although he looked overwhelmed by loud sounds— **Damn...**

 

Izumi had a protagonist role too as the prince and he didn't have any problem getting used to it, but he supposed that he would behave like that too if they made him act like a woman, without making him wear the most annoying accessory in the world: high heels.

 

Arashi was happy, being the queen in the dorama looked like a dream for the blonde, wearing a dress, high heels, make up and with a long wig that fit him perfectly.

 

**—** **Izumi-chan, how do I look?**

**—** **Like an idiot, why would anyone sane use high heels that tall? Ousama would've looked like a hobbit next to you.**

**—** **Moh, but like this my ankles will look great with the dress.**

 

**—** **Well, that's not the real problem right now. Have you not checked your wig? The tie is inside the hair and it looks ugly, let me see if I can fix it for you.**

The day ended without any more problems, Tsukasa had had some minor issues but he was centred on his own role, Arashi was in love with the queen and feeling so free to interpret her like if the blonde had been born for the role and Ritsu didn't have any special job. He almost slept throughout all the rehearsal because the only thing that he needed to do was to fight the demon (which ironically, was his brother) in the end of the scene.                   

Finally Leo was able to get rid of those horrible shoes, he was really tired and he could barely walk. He supposed it best if he sat down in a bench, resting his feet on the floor. That sounded appealing to him to say the least.

Izumi walked next to him in a slow pace, he was tired and drained of every single drop of energy too, mostly because of the heat. He had never been able to withstand it properly; he kept asking himself why didn't they have better ventilation in that place? He at least expected it to be an air conditioner when they had to do the filming and all the official stuff.

 

 **—** **Are you okay?** **—** He asked.                       

 

 **—** **As I have never felt before, Wahahaha! ~** **☆** **I didn't know that women did this stuff all the time, although they take their shape bit by bit...acting like them in one week is so tiresome but don't tell this to Suoh or I'll ask the aliens to brainwash him!** **—** he giggled softly, saying goodbye to his precious Kouhai with a smile, who was swinging his hand by the door frame **—** **Pretend this a good conversation and I'm not complaining about everything** **—** he hit his ribs with his elbow in a soft way, Sena did his part in a bad mood, he didn't like lying; later he looked at his leader with worry at the expressions he was making.

 

**—** **Why do you lie to him?**

**—** **I'm not lying, I just don't want him to give up some of our works because he doesn't like it or because they're annoying and yeah, I know it's difficult, but I notice that he's rejecting it for a conflict of interests... He doesn't want Shiicchan to see him as a girly guy, because she still sees him as a cute brother or something...**

 

**—** **Oh, you're talking about the transfer student... I understand, I didn't know that Kasa-kun had those kind of feelings for her... anyways he doesn't have my approbation, I'm her oniichan and I think that she would distract herself... she needs to focus on her goals as a producer. She would definitely lose her focus if she gets involved with any of us.**

**—** **I know, everything is right in this way... When you get interested in someone, you want to shine brighter than before** **…** **You want to show your best side and be worthy of admiration... I'm happy that I'm not like that! Everyone has seen my unworthy self in the past, I don't have anything to hide so it's not like if I have something like that to protect, you know?**

 

**—** **...Are you sure that you don't want to keep those appearances in some aspect? Completely sure?**

**—** **Of course!**

**—** **Do you remember that Ruka is going to see us, right? I'm sure that if she sees you like that...**

**—** **DON'T REMIND ME OF THAT!** **—** He shouted, pulling his own hair, making it a mess— **don** **’** **t mention this to her or my family, that's... an order.**

**—** **It's not necessary for you go tell me that, stupid... I was just saying, it** **’** **s normal... to want to look cool for someone that you care for, its human nature, and no one is perfect.**

Leo got silent for a moment, looking at the floor, he was thinking about how bad his situation was. His parents knew that he liked stuff related to arts instead of being an executive from an important business, but even if he tried to explain that he needed to do crossplay for work in the academy, they would quickly make him quit it.

 **—** **Those kind of problems aren't for geniuses like me, geniuses get geniuses problems, normal people wouldn't be able to fix it...** **—** he replied, trying to put a limit between them and Izumi felt it, he felt how a gap was increasing in a monstrous form each passing day; he was trying to reach Leo on his own way, but what about him?                       

 **—** **Are you saying that I'm indirectly an idiot? Ousama, even if you feel like you could eat the world raw for being a musical genius, you're still an asshole made by bones and flesh, don't come to me with that shit right now, you're talking like Tenshounin** **—** treating himself like if he was beyond any salvation, like if he was some type of bug, that behaviour really pissed him off and sometimes he just wanted to hit him violently… with a huge pillow, but Leo was still the same... the same guy the size of a toothpick, always cheerful, always smiling with the innocence of an angel.

 

But whatever he was seeing right now it wasn't that, he looked like someone had ripped his wings off of his body and it wasn't a spectacle worth seeing, less if it was someone so close to him as Leo.

 

Why did everything that he considered important end up breaking in pieces? It was like he walked inside a hall and every step he took was meant to break someone or something else... he hated that sensation until the point that he had a deep fright to get fond with someone again.

Honestly he often questioned himself, was that the correct choice? Without any feelings in between, Leo's comeback affected the little stability and the coexistence of the members of Knights. Would they be able to deal with their unstable king? 

 

Talking about the devil, he tried to stand up but in the moment that he walked, his legs gave up under his weight and Izumi prevented his fall, grabbing him by his waist and making him sit down again in the bench. The ginger one won a glance of annoyance from the younger who was holding him with such care.

 

**—** **Sena, even if you don't believe it, I'm completely able to take care of myself, I just... tripped, that's all, maybe I'm just feeling weird because I haven't eaten anything since this morning, just forget it... Wahahaha! ~ Inspiration always comes at these moments!**

**—** **Who do you think you're lying to, eh? I know you enough to notice whenever you're lying to me or not, take off your socks.**

**—** **I don't wannaaaaa! My feet smell like sweat... you don't want to smell that...**

**—** **You're just making dumb excuses.**

 

He took his feet in his hands and he took off the socks, noticing the little blisters at the end of his feet; some of them on his heel. His feet were red because of all the walking he had done with the heels and he surely was waiting for everyone to go so they didn't have to look at him like that.

 

**—** **I'll carry you to the infirmary, you can't go home like this and I don't want to hear any complains or I'll get really upset with you...**

**—** **And here you are, talking like my mother, I'm fine!** **—** He received a blow on his head, and he gasped softly.                 

 

Jin attended him without any inconvenience but in a bad mood for his recent hangover. He ended disinfecting the zone and he put on some bandages on it. Leo was able to walk slowly again but the pain at least was bearable, a little rest will help with his fatigue. Izumi offered his company to go home, because he couldn't leave Leo on his own in that condition. According to him, he just accompanied him because he would cause lot of problems if he get lost again or if something happened that made him postpone their show.

 

They stopped by a combini to buy something to eat and later they sat next to the beach; Leo was silent for a long time, even if he was used to hear his bawls all the time. He might say that he wasn't used to that strange mood but, where was the limit until he knew Leo and who was the guy in front of him? He was scared and he felt some distrust when he talked with him, like it was the first time that they were doing it.

 

The sensation of being just two unfamiliar people for each other, when they were part of each other like nails were to hands, caused his soul to feel remorse.

Anyways it wasn't like his leader didn't have conscience or thoughts about that, but those ones were what attitude took towards him and everyone else. Should he make Sena admire him again? Trying to gain again his trust, at least he was doing it fine? It was something hard to know when the attempts to bring the topic back into conversation felt really uncomfortable and awkward. The silence filled the place and the conversation wasn't going like he expected, he didn't know what to say and the anxiety was gathering at his mouth while he was eating his taiyaki.

**—** **Sena, you did a great job, taking care of Knights... Everyone gets along so well...** — he said, swallowing his food.

**—** **I just didn't want to let them down just because you left us, it would've been a waste. Knights have an invaluable prestige even if a lot of things did end up happening.**

**—** **Hehe~ Looks like no one needed me here... You did a great job as leader, it's like you were made for this job...**

 

The silver haired boy got angry with his comment, like it was like that! Did he not notice how much they had needed him all this time? How did he believe that they would've survived with so many pressure on their hands? They didn't have any compositions from Leo, just the old ones and it was very hard for him to just quit with his habit of doing choreography practices for four instead of three people now and not the usual ones, giving up with his hopes of standing in the same stage again with him until Tsukasa appeared.

 

 **—** **Shut up now! If you came back just to disappear again you can go away to wherever you came from just now** _—_ _'that was just...'_ **—** **I don't care if you created Knights, I don't care who you are** **—** _'oh, God please, just shut up'_ — **if you go now it wouldn't make any difference...you would still be a coward** ** _—_** _'I didn't want to say that'_ but it was too late, Izumi just kept quiet when he noticed how he wasn't able of stop his own words from spilling out and vomit of resentment that he felt until now; Leo didn't move, he just looked at the sea as if he was an empty doll, drained of every hint of life— **Leo-kun, I didn't want to...**

**—** **It's not necessary for you to  say anything else, I know that I disappointed everyone and I don't have any right to use the crown that the fans have given me, I'm not 'Ousama' anymore, just a naked king, Wahahahaha! ~** **☆** **But you know, I'm not going to retract my words... The only one who says mean things without sugar-coating the situation, in an honest way and at the same time protecting whatever they have in their hands like it's part of who you are, is you. That's you, Sena! You're like little John trying to protect its kitties...** **—** a gloomy smile appeared on his lips, like if that was a part of him and there he was doing that again, that expression that made his heart ache badly.                 

Izumi looked at the sea just to ignore that— **you would be a great king. You're more than what I had by myself in my golden times!** **—** He caressed his own wrist while he was talking, maybe he got injured at the practice? No, he didn't remember something like that, but if that hand was....

 

 **—** **Your wrist. Does it hurt?** — Izumi asked and the ginger king just shrugged.

 

— **Haha~ I can't lie to you, can I? ...yeah! It hurts a little, I just spent a lot of time writing, don't worry.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to @HoeardLink for your hard work as beta reader.
> 
> I know some people offered to do that work but I prefered not asking for help since everyone looks busy with the rank.
> 
> Also I'm almost dying for sleep deprivation and I'm depressed about a lot of stuff but you see, every time I see Izuleo it helps my mood.


	3. Miracle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short.
> 
> Thanks again to @HoeardLink for your work as Beta reader, I hope you rest properly now that you're free of exams! ;;

**—Aren’t you being too hard on HIM? —** His shiny white shoes and dress made him look like an angel when he walked next to him. Natsume was never someone to criticize the work of his mentor but he wanted him to think about how he was treating the leader of Knights. He didn't want to criticize his way of teaching people, but he wanted him to think about the attitude that he was taking towards Leo.

**— I didn’t hear any complaints from him and I didn't hear any complaints from you either, my dear Natsume—** a sly smile was stuck on his face, while he gave him a rose as he took his napkin to wipe off some drops of sweat off of his face **— if you complained in the past, it was more like you enjoyed and begged too, not for pain, I can say...**

 

The cheeks of the first year were matching his hair, violent red like a tomato; he was never expecting those kind of assumptions from the older.

 

**—W-Wataru-niisan, I don't like to hear those kind of things in publIC...**

**— Don't worry, I have so many things I want to tell you in private.**

**—I'm not talking about thAT! Why do you enjoy teasing me so much?**

 

**—You make it sound like we're doing incestuous things or something bad. When you stop being so cautious around me, I promise, I will stop teasing you, but now can you stop talking to me as if I was a senior?; I’m not that anymore, I'm just me, I am your very own Wataru Hibiki! ~** **☆**

 

**— You're still my senpai and that's never going to change, you know thAT—** Natsume had his reasons and that special reason was Eichi.

He spent a lot of time by his side to notice how the emperor was getting weaker with the passing of time since the defeat of Fine, thanks to Trickstar, his orders where nothing when the revolution got established at campus; anyways, the leader of Switch knew that Eichi always loved attacking people from behind.

If he could tell that their relationship was the weak point of Natsume, something to protect, something to love, that would mean his perdition, but the older one wouldn't help with that strategy, he looked as if he was tempted to know what kind of expression Eichi would make when he knew of the truth.

 

**— I don't want to change the topIC, but like I was saying, Tsukinaga-kun doesn't look GOOD at all, he looks stressed and if he's stressed then he won't look good with the outfit at all, he needs to look like a calm princess... Can I lend him some HELP? —** He offered, balancing his long red wig, tilting his own body to where the other one was sitting with the manuscript in his hands.

 

**— I'll need an AMAZING ~☆  miracle to make him look and act like a girl, but I know that your knowledge about this topic will save us from making a ridiculous act of what's a real and proud woman. Don't disappoint me, Natsume...I’ll pray for it, I'll beg to the angel who has fallen for me, go! —** And he pushed him to the current scenario.

The leader of switch went with Leo, analysing him while he was resting on the floor; later he just went to take a seat beside him, trying to talk to him.

 

**—I'm Natsume, leader from Switch... Wataru-niisan was being a little harsh on you, so I came to help you with your trainiNG~ —** he offered his hand to give a formal introduction.

 

**—I'm Leo.... uhm, I think that I remember you from the meeting!  Your accent was weird but I'm beyond any help—** a soft laugh was heard, lying down on the floor, Leo wasn’t being loud as usual, perhaps because of his mental and physical exhaustion.

The minor just ignored his comments and he just started to ask his questions.

 

**—Where do you have more problems with?**

**—I can't walk without staggering with the heels, sometimes I forget to close my legs while I'm sitting, my voice is too loud and I just tripped with the dress so many times that I lost count... —** and he just wanted to give up and make Arashi the only one to fulfil the role as the only one woman in the show, but that would disappoint Tsukasa so he didn't give up on that.

 

**—I see, you aren't redistributing your weight properLY, you don't need to think about wearing heels, you're BEHAVING as if you were walking along the tightroPE, you need to ease your nervousness and walk as you always do, relax yourself and then you'll forget what you’re doing and how you're behaving~**

 

Leo understood quickly enough and he forgot completely that he was using heels, using his imagination to think that he was going shopping like he always did; Wataru noticed that and smiled; his boyfriend knew how to make people work with just a couple of words, it was like magic.

When they finished the practice _,_ Knights had gone to meet with everyone to receive new outfits for the event, they would do a costume and make up test, which made them feel really nervous; there was only a week and a half for rehearsals and the last three days were just to finish the scenography and to make the official recordings, everything needed to be right and their anxiety grew up at every moment in this kind of situation.

No one had problems with the costume, but Leo didn't come out from the curtains of the dressing room.

**—Ousama, why are you taking so long? You got problems with the dress? Do you need help? —** Izumi asked, without moving the curtains.

 

**—It's n-nothing, I'm coming out now...**

**—You better come out, fifteen minutes are way too long for just a change of clothes, you know?**

 

A loud squeal was heard from Arashi, who was looking gorgeous with the dress and looking like a real woman.

 

Ritsu was the first to finish changing and his clothes were simple, he was still rubbing one of his eyes, still sleepy and waiting for his teammates, meanwhile Tsukasa was fixing his tie waiting with everyone outside to see Leo and be done with their practice.

 

**—Ousama, we're ready, what about you? —** the curtain moved quickly, revealing buccaneers on the pale legs of the leader of Knights, not to mention that the dress was long at the back and short at the front, revealing part of his thighs and then the dress ended with a very nice neckline above which was dissimulated on the area of his chest, so it looked like he had breasts, the pigtail that he always wore was braided to a ginger extension of hair and thanks to Shiima, his make-up was the first one to be finished, his eyelashes were really long and they highlighted his feline jade eyes, his lips were covered in a light shade of pink and everything made him look so delicate and fragile.

**—...W-Why is everyone looking at me like that? —** Leo murmured, even Izumi was in shock about the impression that he made with that dress.

 

**— It looks unexpectedly good on you...—** the silver haired replied, embarrassed by his own words and giving him a hand to help him walk down the stairs safely. The dress looked really uncomfortable at the moment because they had used another completely different dress from this one before, but at least it looked more comfortable to walk with.

 

Leo was really embarrassed, maybe because everyone was silent and only Izumi made a comment about it, but he seemed calmer when the blond of his unit came with a big smile next to him.

 

**—Ousama, I can't believe it! You look so divine, I'm so jealous of you! I want Shiima to do my makeup too, she did an excellent work!**

It was obvious how the ones who had the role as women got special treatment on their make-up and on their costume; they needed to highlight their beauty so they met up with Natsume to talk about their costumes, how they felt, if something was off, changing some details that didn't need to be fixed in too much time, also they wanted to know how people from the outside would react to their appearance.

Wataru was happy with their results so he gave them his approbation to the costumes, the acting was satisfying enough too and everything was going like they planned it, the dorama would be a success.

 

More confident, the ginger one walked to the curtains again to change into his clothes, but he spoke to Izumi first.

                                                                                      

**—Sena! Let's take a picture! It’s a charm of good luck! ~ —** He actually just wanted a pic with him, so he excused himself like that.

**— It's okay, but let's do it with my camera, your camera doesn't have enough quality... You should take care of your things and you would have a good phone, like mine—** he had an iPhone.

 

**—It's not necessary, I just need it for calling and by mere casualty, it has a camera too, it's not like I use it too much.**

 

**—You're still living in the past, you can do so many things now with a phone, you can even get applications to compose, and wouldn’t it be useful?**

**— I don't like intangible stuff, if I lost my phone or it broke, my composing would disappear, I would never do something important like that in an electronic device because of that, but I use my laptop to make the melodies and I can't lose my laptop because it's too big —** he giggled softly, it was an interesting point of view but they were just deviating from the main topic **— Come here!**

 

Leo got in place next to him and he smiled with two peace signs on his hands, greeting the camera with an _' Uchuu~☆ ‘_ but Izumi was just serious, fixing some parts of his hair with his hand.

 

The picture ended up making a contrast of their personalities, but Leo wasn’t satisfied with that result.

 

**—In the next one you should smile more! You're always making that boring face, a model face, make one like you’re having fun!**

 

Izumi ended up frowning and avoiding his glance with an expression of _'What's that supposed to mean? '_ and he tried to make another pose while Leo was standing in tiptoe to give him a surprise kiss on his cheek, but in a bad adjustment of calculations Izumi started to turn to him and Leo was unable to back away and so their lips met.

 

It was like a chain reaction, Izumi was perplexed and Leo fell down with his back to the floor, totally stunned in this situation, not considering that it wasn’t just only one problem to worry about now; his phone fell and it captured the exact moment where they shared that 'intimate' moment between him and Izumi and to make it worse, Tsukasa was outside waiting for his turn to change his clothes.

 

In no time, the phone was returned to its owner by his shivering Kouhai and Izumi wasn’t in the best condition.

 

— **K-Kasa-kun, it’s not like you thi—**

**—Sena-senpai doesn't need to give any explanations of his l-life.**

 

In that moment, Leo started to run away from the place with his bag, making everyone confused about what had happened to him exactly. It wasn’t unusual to see Leo running away in Knights, but it was a special case seeing him run off while still being dressed like that.


	4. Photo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dumb messages at midnight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to @Linoslavo to help me as beta-reader this time! I was busy writing something for a contribution for the ex-fine zine that's why I didn't had time to update, I'm excited and I hope everyone it's able to read it later.
> 
> This chapter it's short because the next ones are really long, I'm really bad separating chapters, really.

That Saturday, Izumi stared at his gallery and found _that_ photo; He had completely forgotten the fact that they had kissed, not because it wasn’t important, but because he had stayed all afternoon trying to find Leo with all his Knights and praying that the dress hadn’t been ruined in his escape. They were so lucky to know that Leo ran to the bathroom, he had changed clothes and left the dress hanging along with the extensions in the meeting in their practice room, with a note that said _'I'm sorry'_. Everyone thought that it was for running away but he understood, he was apologizing for the kiss, but why? It was an accident after all, it’s not like he wanted to steal him a kiss, but how much of that idea would have bothered him? Coming from him sure it would be strange, but that kiss wasn’t unpleasant, it confused him more.

That feelings which he sealed inside his heart after Leo disappeared were buried deep inside him, where everything he cherished and loved was piled up like autumn leaves, layer by layer, rotting.

 

When he tapped the pic he was able to notice some details, like how small and cute he looked, Leo stretching his hand, trying to keep the balance in his shoes, while he looked like an idiot, worrying about himself while ignoring the intentions of his leader. How many times had he done that on different occasions? Too many to keep track... but Leo was unpredictable, honestly he wasn’t able to say exactly what he would do the next time he saw him.

 

His phone interrupted his thoughts, a text message and not a Line one. Could it be the company which he was affiliated? Offering him a new data plan… Or it was Leo, the only one who used mails at this point, and he didn’t make a mistake with the second option.

 

**To: Izumi.**

 

**From: Leo.**

 

**Subject: ヾ (· |**

 

**Do you think I can send all the pictures of that day to my email?**

 

Izumi panicked, he didn’t imagine that he would receive something like that after the incident.

 

**To: Leo.**

 

**From: Izumi.**

 

**Subject: Eh...**

 

**Do you want** **_all_ ** **the pics?**

 

He hoped that for once in his life he would get the hint. For the meantime he connected his phone with the USB cable to his laptop and transferred the pics to his backup, marking the ones that Leo needed to upload them to his mail.

 

**To: Izumi.**

 

**From: Leo.**

 

**Subject: /////**

 

**It’s not necessary to be specific, I said all ... isn’t it? Don’t be a bully.**

 

They were what? Eleven words? Not even up to 120 characters and his cheeks were already bright red. At first he was going to erase the pic and pretend that none of that had happened and threaten Tsukasa with bullying to forget the matter, but now he couldn’t oppose the impulses of his little king.

The ginger haired fell asleep with his phone at his hand and his laptop turned on when the reply arrived, giving him a notification that he received a new mail, which he opened urgently, downloading it and blushing profusely when he found _that_ _one_.

 

He felt strange, butterflies or rather killer bees threatened to blow up his stomach in the purest style of the Alien movies, but it didn’t happen, it only left him with a feeling of disorientation.

 

He saved the photos and moved them to: _works for the academy > Advanced Studies > Semester Evaluation > Dissertation about UFOs > Memes of aliens > _ _♡_ and then left his laptop on suspension with his password.  He couldn’t know if the aliens or someone else wanted to learn about his private life!

 

**To: Izumi.**

 

**From: Leo.**

 

**Subject: (?)**

 

**I cannot get married anymore, you're going to have to do something about it.**

 

He sent that message and he didn’t expect more than an _idiot_ as reply, but it took a lot to arrive, he barely could read the text between his sleepiness.

 

**To: Leo.**

 

**From: Izumi.**

 

**Subject: You’re an idiot.**

 

**Thanks to that picture, you would be the wife.**

 

What did he mean by that? He wasn’t rejecting him like always…

 

Anyways the thought didn’t take away his sleep, five minutes later he left his phone in the drawer and fell asleep with his heart pounding in excitement.


	5. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just bad luck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to @hkz_kr for being my beta reader this time! (´∇ﾉ｀*)ノ Ily
> 
> I planned to post this at my birthday ( March 1) buuuut I was too tired, seriously. I hope there's still people following this tiny story.

The special day arrived and the recording session started. Leo was nervous and completely absorbed in his role, to the point that he repeated the lines of the script in a low voice, to not forget them.

When he came out on stage he sat and commenced to say his lines correctly, getting tense at the part when Izumi got on the stage, flattering him and inviting the princess to dance. Part of him wanted to throw his high heels away and start choreographing his part without worrying about stupid things, but he needed to remain calm after that much effort, taking Izumi’s hand in a classic waltz at the end.

When he took the dress to dance he showed his white legs as if they were made of porcelain, considering how much the silver haired was watching, it seemed as if the clothes were as perfect as they should be; the contact without the gloves made him feel new sensations, the sweat, the heat and the nervousness that Leo was making him feel through his hands, _Did he feel the same as him?_ Of course, in several ways he wondered that; after the incident with his phone, neither of them talked about the subject, even Tsukasa didn’t seem to open his mouth about it.

Maybe he gave too much importance to a banal situation? He was right, that kiss had been an accident, it wasn’t a mutual agreement and there was no more to consider.

That fact _saddened him_.

**—Ousama, pay attention to the steps** **—** Izumi whispered, interlacing his hands.

**—I’m doing that, I’m doing it…—** the younger knew that something was off when he looked at Leo, he wasn’t stupid; years to look all his expressions have make him to notice that not all his smiles were honest, more after the incident with chess.

Sometimes he saw bite marks on his lips, a sign of anxiety, his eyes seemed to look beyond the ground more than usual and his hands now were showing his emotions. _No, it seemed like something else, maybe pain? Anguish?_ Every time he seemed to lose something else of the Leo from his memories, thanks to those small lapses in which he looked like if he disconnected himself from the world, the sensation was tiresome as painful.

**—Leo-kun...** **—** the green-eyed looked him back quickly by hearing his name **— Whatever you’re thinking now... what is filling your head at this moment, throw it out, be a professional for god’s damn sake... -** He was already losing his patience but Leo blinked a little petrified before that, something that honestly didn’t surprised him **—You’ll tell me what in the world is happening and I’ll not accept a ‘no’ or ‘it’s nothing’ as reply** **—** saying that, he took his waist to make him fell on his arm, holding his weight as he approached to fake a small kiss.

Everyone applauded at the end of the scene. It had been excellent! Leo didn’t do it, he looked to be in shock when he returned to sit on his throne and feeling like if his body was made of jelly while waiting for the change of scene and the cut from the mouth of Shu and Wataru.

 

  -

 

**—I’ll say a list of those who no longer have to wear their costume, of course the main characters are exempt from this, the others who acted today can help their classmates with the costumes** **—** and Wataru began to name those who got rid of the task, leaving Tsukasa and Arashi free to relax.

Izumi rested on a bench of the stage, waiting for Leo to change his clothes and walk home together; he was taking a long time, but this time he wouldn’t press him more than necessary. When he came out, his semblance was so tired and cloudy.

**—** **Are we leaving now?** **—** He asked, taking his bag, Izumi nodded, helping him walk with one of his arms.

**— Let's go to the beach, you’ll rest your feet in the water while we walk** **—** it was a good idea or that’s what he thought. He could interrogate him when they were alone.

The road became too long, but Leo could change a little his aspect when they arrived to the beach.

**—The sea! Ahhhhhh! The sea feels so good** **—** the cool breeze was great and without a doubt on his head, he took off his shoes and walked to catch a wave, feeling how the water wet his legs and Izumi warned him about rolling his pants, so he didn’t make them wet.

**—Seeeeeeenaaaa! COME HERE TO PLAY!** **—** He called him with a scream, it was so lonely to play alone while Izumi was so far away, guarding their bags, but surprisingly he got near to him with their things in one hand and his shoes in the other one **—** **it’s a crab!!** **—** he pointed to the animal, imitating how it walked, the other one couldn’t help himself smiling at his occurrences **—** **Ah, look... there are colourful shells around here** **—** close by the beach was a huge pond among a rocky place, it had starfishes, marine hedgehogs and many bright things inside, of course, capturing all of Leo’s attention.

**—Ousama, it's dangerous, don’t go, you could get caught by one of the waves ...** **—** just when he said it, Leo tripped.

It was in slow motion, making Izumi almost lost his sanity in the second he saw him to hit the rock.

He didn’t hesitate to leave everything and run in his help, but he didn’t hear his voice, the laughter, his screams… nothing and everything was silence.

Horrible pain had spread across his right arm, sending an electric current that burned his spine to his head. Anyone would have shouted in that state because of the pain, but Leo had adrenaline in his body, he didn’t feel more than a slight tingling, a terrible stab.

**—LEO!** **—** It was the first time he heard his voice like that. _Would he have shouted like that if he had been on the place of his accident in the past?_ Maybe he would had screamed even more, thank to goodness he haven’t seen that miserable show or maybe right now he would seem him in a different way.

 

Drenched from his neck to his toes, Leo was able to stand with precaution of not moving his arm too much.

**—Sena, I-it seems that the rock was too slimy, I'm sorry** **—** without caring if he could get soaked or not, Izumi pulled him to his body to get him out from that place and put him on land.

**— Why do you never listen to me?! Do you want to kill me from a heart attack? DON’T YOU KNOW THAT YOU COULD HAVE HIT YOUR HEAD WITH THAT ROCK AND THE SEA WOULD HAVE DRAGGED YOU AWAY? What do you think I could have done in that case? …DAMN!** **—** He yelled at him and he couldn’t just ignore how upset he felt as if nothing had happened. Leo was completely silent, looking down and Izumi decided to examine his wrist on his own.

It wasn’t bleeding, neither had it looked like if he had a fracture in it, but it was red and it was starting to get swollen.

Leo trembled at the touch of his hands while he noticed how some tears had escaped his eyes, marking his cheeks, since the only thing that wasn’t wet at that time was his face and hair _. Did it hurt? Was he beginning to feel pain or maybe what he said had scared him?_ But his position told him something else, his hand covering his body almost in a defensive position, crouching and tense, even making him think that he didn’t wanted Izumi to touch him.

**—I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled at you... I'm not mad at you... I was just scared...** **—** he said this frowning, apologetic after having raised his voice that much, but _why did he have to ignore all of his warnings?_ **—I don’t know what I would do if something bad happened to you... I mean... really bad things have already happened to you, right? Like when you broke your arm fighting with those guys and I wasn’t there to... protect you** **—** he replied, lying a bit, since he couldn’t just go and tell him that Madara had told him the truth about what happened.

**—... it’s okay, Sena... I just twisted my arm, it will take a few days to heal. D-Don’t worry!** **—** he hoped that, he didn’t want Izumi to worry unnecessarily.

**—It seems more painful than that, we should go to the hospital...**

**—NO, NO, PLEASE NO! I don't want to go back there, I don’t like it.**

Izumi felt quite responsible for what happened, maybe if he had been closer to him, he could have caught him before he landed in that way, but he and his need to take care of his appearance. He just wanted to keep his hair free of frizz! But hell, he couldn’t imagine Leo hurting himself either.

**—But if it gets worse ... at least you should tell your parents, they will know what to do.**

**—I'll do it, I suppose I've ruined the trip** **—** he really regret about it, he thought Izumi was doing this to cheer him up, but it seemed as if he was dedicated to ruin all their moments together.

**— That’s wrong, but I really need to take you home, you're soaked and I think I'll borrow a shirt from your closet** **—** he had gotten wet enough when he entered in contact with his body.


End file.
